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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pitch · lie · bass · pop · jam · chip · racket · leaves

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. chip — to eat
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. pop — to visit
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bass — low music
  13. lie — to recline
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. bass — the fish
  17. pop — music
  18. chip — for betting
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. pitch — a sales talk

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com